CVE-2025-1024 in ChurchCRM
Summary
by MITRE • 02/19/2025
A vulnerability exists in ChurchCRM 5.13.0 that allows an attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript in a victim's browser via Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in the EditEventAttendees.php page. This requires Administration privileges and affects the EID parameter. The flaw allows an attacker to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of an authenticated user, and gain unauthorized access to the application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/19/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical reflected cross-site scripting flaw in ChurchCRM version 5.13.0 that enables attackers with administrative privileges to inject malicious javascript code into the EditEventAttendees.php page through the EID parameter. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting conditions where untrusted data is incorporated into web page content without proper validation or sanitization. The attack vector requires an authenticated administrator to be logged into the system, making it a privilege escalation vulnerability that leverages existing administrative access to execute malicious code in the victim's browser context.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied input from the EID parameter before incorporating it into the web page response. This allows an attacker to craft malicious payloads that get executed in the browser of any user who views the affected page with the manipulated parameter. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious script is reflected back to the user through the web application's response, typically via a crafted URL that contains the malicious javascript payload. This creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited through social engineering or by directly targeting administrators who are logged into the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution to enable comprehensive session hijacking and unauthorized access to the application. An attacker can steal session cookies, effectively taking over administrator privileges and gaining complete control over the ChurchCRM instance. This includes access to all user data, event management capabilities, and the ability to modify or delete sensitive information. The vulnerability creates a significant risk for organizations relying on ChurchCRM for managing church events, member data, and administrative functions, as it allows for complete compromise of the system's integrity and confidentiality. The threat is particularly severe because the vulnerability requires only administrative privileges, which are often more limited in scope than full system access but still provide substantial control over the application.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application. The primary defense involves sanitizing all user inputs, particularly the EID parameter, by implementing proper HTML entity encoding before rendering any user-supplied data in the web interface. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 which emphasizes the importance of input validation and output encoding to prevent code injection attacks. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and privilege management, ensuring that administrative access is strictly limited to authorized personnel. Regular security updates and patch management are essential, as this vulnerability was likely addressed in subsequent releases of ChurchCRM. Additional measures include implementing content security policies to prevent script execution, conducting regular security assessments, and providing security training to administrators to recognize potential social engineering attempts that could lead to privilege escalation. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of defense-in-depth strategies that combine multiple security controls to protect against various attack vectors and reduce the overall risk surface of web applications.